Caroline R. Horta

From Amazon:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson comes an atmospheric and riveting novel of suspense that uncovers the horrifying secrets buried within a ramshackle house.... Vowing to make a fresh start, Sarah McAdams has come home to renovate the old Victorian mansion where she grew up. Her daughters, Jade and Gracie, aren’t impressed by the rundown property on the shores of Oregon’s wild Columbia River. As soon as they pull up the isolated drive, Sarah too is beset show more by uneasy memories—of her cold, distant mother, of the half-sister who vanished without a trace, and of a long-ago night when Sarah was found on the widow’s walk, feverish and delirious. Ever since the original mistress of the house plunged to her death almost a century ago, there have been rumors that the place is haunted. As a girl, Sarah sensed a presence there, and soon Gracie claims to see a lady in white running up the stairs. Still, Sarah has little time to dwell on ghost stories, between overseeing construction and dealing with the return of a man from her past. But there’s a new, more urgent menace in the small town. One by one, teenage girls are disappearing. Frantic for her daughters’ safety, Sarah feels her veneer cracking and the house’s walls closing in on her again. Somewhere deep in her memory is the key to a very real and terrifying danger. And only by confronting her worst fears can she stop the nightmare roaring back to life once more.

My Thoughts:

Lisa Jackson has again produced a riveting, 5 star, hauntingly eerie story. I have read every one of her books and can say that this may well be her best standalone novel yet. The ambiguously haunted Victorian mansion at the book's center was a character of its own. The family that had the misfortune of "going home again" were all absolutely believable and everyone of them was likable. How often does that happen? The story keeps you guessing and changing villains right up to the last page. A must read for fans of Mystery/Suspense. show less

Sarah McAdams returns to her childhood home, Blue Peacock Manor in Oregon, along with her two daughters, 17-year-old Jade and 12-year-old Gracie. Sarah hopes to renovate the rundown mansion which will be a big undertaking. Her memories of the place are not happy ones. On top of that, there is a possible ghost haunting the house; her ex-boyfriend lives next door; and local teenage girls are going missing. Sarah begins to question if this move was the right thing to do.

I thoroughly enjoyed show more this book! I loved the setting with the rundown mansion and surrounding property which included the family cemetery. It provided a terrific atmosphere for the story. There was such a colorful cast of characters, so well written, all with distinct personalities. Sarah’s family was interesting in that they were so unbelievably messed up, not only in the present day but also back in time throughout the family history. The ending was awesome. I loved how the kidnapped girls fought back and ended up getting the bad guy and their freedom back by their own hands. A fantastic read that held my interest throughout. show less

Sarah McAdams and her two daughters Jade and Grace have moved back to their dilapidated family home in Oregon. Sarah has plans to restore the Blue Peacock Manor to its former glory. Jade is an angry teenager who has been forced to leave her friends in Vancouver. Grace thinks she sees the ghost of Angelique La Duc, a former relative, who apparently disappeared almost a hundred years ago. Sarah just wants to start over after her divorce, but former love, Clint, lives next door and an old show more boyfriend is stalking her. In another storyline, teenage girls are disappearing and no trace of them can be found.

This is a combination ghost story, suspense thriller, and a dash of romance. Maybe because it's trying to be so many things, it seems to fall short in all of them. The ghost story wasn't very scary, the romance was lukewarm, and it wasn't really very suspenseful. It was still a fast, mostly enjoyable read, but I prefer some of the other books I've read by this author. show less

Clunky for this author. Too many story lines family drama and mystery would have been enough. Adding the secondary storyline of girls missing was too much. So much build up for a quick ending. Could have been two separate really great books. Still a good read. But not one I would actively recommend.